Monday, May 30, 2005

Irish Government reaffirmed its intention to go ahead with a referendum

Reuters reports that "Ireland said on Sunday it would go ahead with its own referendum on the European constitution despite France having rejected the treaty. "For our part, the government is continuing to prepare for ratification of the European constitution by the target date of November 2006," a government spokesman said. The government published a bill on Thursday in parliament which would enable Ireland to stage its own referendum. Those plans have not changed, officials said.Dublin said it very much regretted the French decision but said it was important that the European Union move forward in a "considered and united way." "We have recently published the referendum bill and look forward to the start of the debate in parliament," it said. "The government remains firmly of the view that a European constitution is strongly in Ireland's interest and in that of the European Union as a whole." Meanwhile, Reuters reports that: "Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said on Sunday France's rejection of the European Union constitution raised profound questions about the future of the bloc and should be followed by a period of reflection. Straw said Britain, which takes over the EU's rotating presidency in July, would respect the result of the French."